«And that means they will try to win me over to their party?»

«They will. I see you understand how such factions work.»

«I have seen a good many such, and survived them all.»

More than I can ever admit to you or anyone else, Blade added mentally. Aloud he said, «How am I supposed to know who is of the High Councilor's party?»

«Some of them will be obvious, the moment you see Klerus, the High Councilor. As for the rest, I will do my best to warn you.»

That was an opening that Blade had not expected. Now he took prompt advantage of it.

«Yes, Guroth. You say you will warn me. But why should I trust you any more than the High Councilor Klerus? What do you wish for Pendar, and what does he wish? As you say, I am a stranger here.»

This time there was no mistaking the look of surprise on Guroth's face. It was a long minute before the captain recovered from that surprise enough to continue. His words came out even more slowly and reluctantly than before, at least at first.

«I will swear by all the gods and prophets of the Pendari that I speak the truth. And I will also swear by anything you hold sacred, for I understand that our gods may not be yours and therefore mean nothing to you yet.

«But if that is so, I urge you to conceal it. Klerus the High Councilor gets much of his support from the priests, who do not understand what he truly wants. They are most of them good and simple men, who only see in Klerus a man who would have the old ways of worship enforced and those lax in them punished severely. They will be watching you like an eagle watching a lamb on the earth far below, watching for any sign of disrespect to what they cherish. And if they find such, they will tell Klerus, and he will use it against you.»

«Thank you,» said Blade with elaborate sarcasm. «I am grateful to you for telling me so much that I did not ask about. You are generous. But you have not told me why I should join your party.»

«The king's party,» said Guroth, with the first sign of irritation he had shown.

«Very well, call it the king's party,» said Blade calmly. «But why should I choose either the king's party or the High Councilor's? What does the High Councilor want to do that you and the king oppose? I must have an answer to that, Guroth. If I do not have one soon, you will not have a Pendarnoth. I will mount the Golden Steed and ride away to some land where people will give me straight answers and not use me as a toy in their own games.» There was an edge in his voice as he said the last sentences.

For a moment, Guroth's jaw set hard, and Blade wondered if the captain was going to lose his temper. Then the Pendari officer's mood seemed to change in a split-second. A thin smile spread across his lean brown face.

«You are a suspicious man. It is not going to make dealing with you easy for me. But it will not make it easier for Klerus to deal with you either. You have certainly learned a great deal in those travels and wars of yours.»

«I would not be alive today to become the Pendarnoth if I had not.»

«I can imagine. Someday when we have time you must tell me of your adventures. But that day will be a long time off, I fear.» Guroth clasped his hands behind his back and looked straight into Blade's eyes. «Let us agree. I will tell you what I know of the state of things in Pendar, and how I see them. But I will not ask that you do more than listen to what I will say now. When you get to Vilesh, you can listen in the same way to the High Councilor or whoever he sends to tell you his story. And you may also look about you and see for yourself what is going on.»

«I would do that, Guroth, whether you let me do so or not. The only way you could keep me from doing so would be to kill me here and now.»

Guroth went pale at the idea. «I do not know what would be the fate reserved for the man who slew one who might be the Pendarnoth. I do not wish to find out. Besides, I think I would have a hard time killing you, and no small chance of being killed myself.»

Blade nodded. «You would. But you are a wise and, I think, an honest man, so you will never have to try. What you propose is a good agreement, and I will follow it.» He thrust out his hand and clasped Guroth's.

«Very well,» said the captain. His voice was lighter, as though a great load had been lifted from his mind. «I will give you the tale as quickly as possible.»

«King Nefus is a boy of eleven. He shows much intelligence and courage, but for all this he is still a child. And a king cannot rule in Pendar until he is eighteen. So for seven more years the real rulers of Pendar will be the Council of Regents. Nefus has a sister, the Princess Harima, who is nine years older than he. But she has no power and can have none under our laws and customs.»

«Such laws and customs about women are not always wise,» put in Blade.

«You may speak the truth,» admitted Guroth. «But it is the law in Pendar, and has been so for centuries. Not even the Pendarnoth could hope to challenge it. At least not without arousing the wrath of the priests.»

«And that would be playing into the hands of the High Councilor Klerus, no doubt. Tell me about this man.»

«He is an eunuch. The High Councilor is always an eunuch, so he may have no family to which he can pass on his wealth and power. Thus he is not tempted to take bribes or develop great and corrupt ambitions, for there are none to benefit from these except himself.»

«That is indeed a wise custom,» said Blade. «But I have learned that it does not always work.»

«It has not worked in this case. Klerus is ambitious beyond reason, and cares little that there can be no sons to inherit what he wins. He would rule in Pendar. He would rule in his own right if that were possible, but even in his ambition he knows that cannot be. So he seeks now to rule as the viceroy of the Lanyri.»

«You have mentioned the Lanyri several times. Who are they?»

«They rule a mighty empire on the shores of the Western Ocean, a month's march to the west of Pendar. It is said by travelers who have been among them that they give an orderly rule to those who submit. But it is not a just rule. It is a rule according to Lanyri laws alone. Those who are not of Lanyri blood, or who have not foresworn their native laws and customs and kissed the Lanyri's feet, have no hope of justice under their rule. Their land goes to Lanyri overlords, their women droop at Lanyri looms or become the concubines of Lanyri nobles. Someday the people they have robbed and killed will rise against them and end their empire. But in the meantime they are like wild animals that roam about in a village, striking down all who cannot fight back.»

Blade nodded. Guroth was getting a little off the track. «And they now wish to move east, to bring Pendar under their rule?»

«Yes. They did not wish it at first. Their army is strong and good, but all of its men fight on foot, with swords and heavy armor. They think horsemen are weak and archers cowards, so they have few of these. And so they find it hard to face our mounted archers.

«They know that well. Pendar has great amounts of gold, which to the Lanyri is something precious. I do not understand why, but that is their custom. A hundred years ago, in the reign of King Korfin IV, they demanded that we give them as much gold each year as half a thousand strong horses could carry. We refused. It is our gold. So they sent an army to invade our land, 'teach us a lesson,' and carry away all that gold and much more besides by force. We met that army with all our horsemen in a great battle and defeated it. Their general we captured and killed, and the Lanyri have held us in respect ever since that day.» Guroth's face lit up as he told his story of Pendar's past glories.

Then it sobered as he came to the present. «But then four years ago King Nefus succeeded to the throne of Pendar. Klerus became High Councilor and ruler of Pendar in all but name. I do not know whether he was ambitious before, but he certainly became so then. It is in the minds and hearts of many people that he has had dealings with the Lanyri. He has promised to betray Pendar by dividing and dispersing our army. Then the Lanyri will invade and march upon Vilesh. They have mighty siege machines that will break down its walls within a few days. Then the soldiers will pour in and burn and kill and rape until there is nothing left alive or standing in the whole city. Vilesh is the heart of Pendar. When that heart stops beating, Pendar will die, and of all its people, only the dead will be free of Lanyri rule.»